In The Hand Of The Potter

Let us Pray

Welcome....

Our theme this year is "Stepping Out By Faith," and I would like to remind each one that

there are things right now that we cannot see, but by faith we can hope for it. There are

things right now we might not fully understand, but by faith we can continue to believe

God. There are things right now that might cause us to wonder, but by faith we can rely

on God for God to work it out. Let’s Picture the Possibilities of what God will do if we

are united in the things that we do or say.

If you and I think that we have arrived, and we have it made, we are wrong, because

God is not through with us yet. If you and I think we have seen it all, and now we have it

made, we are wrong, be-cause God is not through with us yet. If you and I think we have

faced our last test and trial, we could be wrong, be-cause God might have more tests and

trials for us, and he might not be true with us yet.

Maybe you are wondering what’s happening to God’s Church? I want to remind you that

God’s church is alive and well. God’s church will endure the tests of time. If you are in

God’s church, if you are a child of God, I want to encourage you to hold on to God’s

hand, and if you do not know Christ as Lord of your life, I want to encourage you to seek

the Lord before it is too late. Saints we are living in the very last days, and Je-sus said in

Matthew 24 verse 13, "But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be

saved." The word endure means, to suffer patiently; to remain set in purpose; hold

out, under suffering, trial etc; to last for a long time. Only those who endure to the

end shall be saved. Picture the Possibilities of enduring to the end, we shall have

everlasting life; unending life with our Lord and Savior.

Please turn with me in your Bi-bles to Jeremiah 18 verses 1 through 6. Let’s all stand and

read together. Please tell someone, God knows all about you, and you can’t hide.

Our to-pic for today is, "In the hand of the potter." We will consider the following

thoughts, 1. The marred vessel, 2. The remade vessel, 3. The useful vessel.

As we look at our text for today, our focus will be on verse 4, "And the vessel that he

made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again another

vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it." This word marred means, damaged

or defaced; to spoil the quality of; a mark that disfigures, blemish. All of us here today

were marred by sin, we were de-faced, disfigured, blemished, and God had to do a work

on us on the potter’s wheel. As we read the text, one might wonder why did the potter not

leave the broken and marred clay, and use a fresh and flaw-less piece? There was plenty

of it at his disposal. Why? Because he knew that if the obstacle that marred it was

removed the vessel could be perfected, and so he tried again.

The prophet Jeremiah was depressed and disappointed. Have you ever been depressed and disappointed, and just don’t know what to do? Israel the people whom God had chosen, and moulded for His purpose, had resisted and rebelled against God. In Jeremiah’s depressed condition, many thoughts were passing through his mind: What

was God going to do with Israel? Would God cast Israel aside? Would God take another

people to be used for His purpose and praise? As Jeremiah thought on all these

questions, these questions were answered one morning in the potter’s house, and silenced

Jeremiah’s doubts and fears.

There was good news for the people of God. God would not cast Israel off, for as the

potter had taken the broken, marred clay and made it again, so would God gather Israel to

Him-self once more and try and make Israel again. God in His mercy and grace was giving

Israel a second chance. Thank God for a second chance. Picture the Possibilities of

being given a second chance by God.

God has something good for each of us here today. Every turning of the wheel and every

touch of His hand has been to mould and make us ac-cor-ding to the Divine pattern. God’s

ideal for each of us is for us to become more like Christ. God wants to make the very

best he can of each of us. God is calling for marred vessels to be placed in the potter’s